Hugh Fink and Sharon Longcroft of FINK, the fine foods specialist in Boroughbridge, were delighted to be presented with the winning trophy for Village Store/Local Shop of the Year at the recent Farm Shop & Deli Awards.
“We are thrilled to receive such a prestigious award,” says Hugh Fink and his partner Sharon Longcroft. “We would like to thank all of our customers for their support and all of our staff for their hard work and commitment.”
After receiving a plethora of entries from across the country, and over 5,000 consumer votes, the 13 category winners and the nine regional winners of the Farm Shop & Deli Awards 2018 were announced at a ceremony in Birmingham at the NEC on Monday 16th April.
Now in their fifth year, and one of the highlights of Farm Shop & Deli Show, the awards, sponsored by PriceCardPro and Butler’s Farmhouse Cheeses, recognise the best specialist independent retailers in the UK. Celebrating the highest levels of service, product knowledge, initiative, innovation and community involvement, the awards unearth the crème de la crème of fine food retail establishments.
What the Judges had to say about FINK:
- Really good application with a sense that the community is at the core (along with obviously making a profit) which is exactly what a village shop should be.
- A shop full of a diverse range of products making it a real hub of the community
- FINK ticks all the boxes for me – a community-minded retailer which goes out of its way to offer its customers a service it wouldn’t get elsewhere. As well as helping its customers in small ways which really add up they champion their street and town which is a great thing.
- Traditional with a modern outlook, good community links and happy staff – great business!
What their Customers said:
- They are always utterly amazing, and always have what I want in stock, and if not, they will source it for me!
- Fink is an ‘Aladdin’s Cave’ of unexpected delights, as well as the more day to day requirements. Sharon and Hugh go out of their way to satisfy customers’ requirements, even if they do not have the item in stock.
- Their customer service is excellent. Furthermore, they participate wholeheartedly in the life of the Boroughbridge community, with humour and expertise.
- Wide range of quality products, excellent service and just what a small rural town needs.
- It’s packed with a huge array of goods lots of unusual items and the owners are very pleasant and helpful. A pleasure to shop there.
Nigel Barden, Chairman of Judges and Food and Drink Journalist and Broadcaster, says: “Many miles have been covered in search of the finest food and drink retailers in the UK. There are some truly talented, imaginative and passionate food purveyors within our shores, who we should celebrate and support. The Farm Shop & Deli Awards provides the perfect platform for bringing them to our attention, including those selling their wares solely online.”